Mond locomotive and machine works



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheetl.

. 0'. W. RUSSELL. VALVE DEVICE FOR COMPOUND ENGINES.

N0.- 549,157. x Patented N0v.f5, 1895. I

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VALVE DEVICE. FOR COMPOUND ENGINES- No. 549,157. Patented Nov. 5,1895.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

0. w.. RUSSELL. VALVE DEVICE FOR COMPOUND ENGINES. No. 549,157. Patented Nov. 5, 1895.

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UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

CLINTON WV. RUSSELL, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE RICH- MOND LOCOIWIOTIVE AND MACHINE WORKS, OF SAME PLACE.

VALVE DEVICE FOR COMPOUND ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,157, dated November 5, 1895. Application filed March 24, 1894. Serial No. 504,989. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CLINTON W. RUssELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve Devices for Compound Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of valv devices intended to be used in connection,

with compound engines, and more especially in connection with compound locomotive-engines; and my invention consists in constructing the said valve device so as to-secure the desired effects in running the engine, either compound or simple, and in converting it from a compound engine to a single engine when emergency occurs, as fully set forth hereinafter, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which v Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my improved valve device, showing the parts in the position which they occupy when the engine is working simple, just after starting; Fig. 2, the same, illustrating the position of the parts when the engine is running compound; Fig. 3, the same, illustrating the position of the parts when the emergency valve is open, the engine working as a simple engine, the exhaust from both cylinders going out of the stack.

The valve-casing X may be constructed in any suitable manner and may be independent of or form part of the saddle of the locomotive-cylinders. As shown, the casing is constructed to form two cylinders B U. To the cylinder B is fitted the hollow cylindrical piston J, forming part of a hollow stem 12, connected to the intercepting-valve A,-which fits the port 13 in the partition 0, that extends across the receiver between the high-pressure and low-pressure engines.

The piston J has a beveled annular face 3, that fits a narrower face or seat 4 at one side of an annular chamber L, communicating with the live-steam passage H, whereby the piston J also constitutes an admission-valve, a portion of the face of which is so exposed that the live steam may always press upon and load the same.

The hollow stem 12 of the admission-valve J constitutes the casing of a reduction-valve R. The said reduction-valve consists of two pistons 16 17, connected by a stem 18, forming an annular port 19, and the stem 20 of the reduction-valve extends through a practically steam-tight passage in the stem 12, through the head of the cylinder Z, and is provided with shoulders 27 28, which serve to limit the movements of the said admission- 6: valve under the action of the steam-pressure on its faces.

.An emergency or exhaust valve F controls "the exhaust-port (Z, and a piston 0 upon one end of thevalve F slides in a cylinder D, 6 5 which is connected to the intercepting-valve A and has a series of ports or openings P near the inner, end, which end is enlarged to form a head or piston N, that slides in a cylinder M of the casing.

A vent or constitutes a communication between the interior of the cylinder D and the receiver or chamber V, and a port or passage w constitutes a communication between said receiver or chamber and the interior of the therefrom and communication opened with the vatmosphere.

- By the arrangement above described steampressure is applied to positively and simultaneously open the passage from the receiv- 9o ing-chamber V to the stack and to close the valve A' and open the passage for the live steam to the low-pressure engine, to thereby effect the change from a compound engineto a simple engine without loss of time and without reduction of the power of the engine during the moment of the change. This is owing to the fact that as pressure is applied to act on the piston G and open the valve F. the opening of the port cl causes such a decrease 10o of pressure in the cylinder M that the pressure in the receiver acts on the piston N or throws it to the right and shifts the valve A to close it. The simultaneous shifting of both valves F A, positively under pressure, is therefore effected as a result of applying power direct-1y to the valve G. As a result of this simultaneous action, the intercepting-valve is closed as the exhaust is opened and the pressure in the low-pressure part of the receiver is maintained and loss of power prevented.

\Vhen the piston G and valve F are thrown to the left, the piston-head O of the valve F is carried beyond the ports? to the left, the

latter, with the cylinderD, being simultaneously carried to the right, and after the face 9 of the valve passes beyond the inner face of the head N and into the cylinder I) the exhaust-steam from the receiver V passes through the ports and around the reduced or wing portion of the valve.

\Vhen it becomes necessary to convert the engine again from a single-acting to a compound engine, the cock in the casing S is turned, cutting off the communication with the boiler and permitting the steam from the cylinder U to escape to the atmosphere, when the superior pressure upon the inner face of the piston G and upon the parts connected with the valves J andA will cause the valve F to move to its seat and the valve A to be opened, after which the exhaust from the high-pressure engine will pass to the valvechest of the lower-pressure engine as before.

Vhile I have shown a particular arrangement of dash-pot which I have found to be effective, it will be evident that the dash-pot may be connected with each of the valves in other ways, so as to secure the same results. The independent reducing-valve B may also be otherwise constructed and arranged without departing from the main features of my invention.

It will be seen that owing to the construction shown the exhaust valve F may be thrown open and shifted fully to the left with the valve A in the position of Fig. 1, or the valve A may be thrown over to the right and completely closed with the valve F in the position of Fig. 1 without opening the exhaust, so that the escape of the steam from the receiver to the exhaust is only efiected after the valve F has been opened and after the valve A has moved toward its seat, whereby the admission of live steam to the low-pressure engine is insured before the receiver can be exhausted.

It will be seen that by the construction of apparatus above described I not only secure the desired result through the medium of a mechanical arrangement which is simple in construction as well as simple in operation, but I also automatically reduce and control at the desired pressure the live steam admitted to the low-pressure cylinder, so that the work done by both cylinders is equal or nearly so. I automatically cut off the supply of live steam to the low-pressure cylinder when the pressure 011 the high-pressure side of the intercepting-valve shall overcome that on the low-pressure side and open comunication between the two ends of the receiver to permit the exhauststeam from the highpressure cylinder to flow unobstructedly to the low-pressure valve-chest, and I provide means by which in case of emergency the engineer can convert the engine and run it as such from a compound to a simple engine as long as may be necessary.

hile I have shown the piston in the form of the head N of the cylinder D, this piston may be constructed and connected with the intercepting-valve in various ways, but it is shown in connection with the cylinder D for the reasons before set forth, in order that the cylinder D, in connection with the head of the piston F, may constitute first a dash-pot, and, secondly, it forms with its ports P d and the piston F a valve constituting a means of pre-' venting any communication between the receiver and the exhaust until the intercepting-valve A is nearly on its seat.

\Vhatever the arrangement of the piston may be in connection with the intercepting valve, it should be such that the direct pressure in the receiving-chamber acts upon the face of the piston to move the same and the valve connected therewith, this being the distinguishin g feature between the present in vention and other inventions where a flange or disk is connected with the interceptingvalve and is arranged so as to be actuated by the current or flow of the steam toward the exhaust-port and from those in which a motor fluid independently of that within the receiver is the means of positively operating both valves.

WVit-hout limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown, I claim as my invention-- 1. The combination in a compound engine valve device of an emergency valve and motor for "shifting the same, an intercepting valve and a piston N connected therewith and fittinga cylinder open to the receiver, whereby the receiver pressure is brought upon the piston to move the latter and close the intercepting valve when the emergency valve is opened, substantially as set fortl 2. The combination with the intercepting and emergency valves, of a piston head on the intercepting valve, adapted to a dash-pot cylinder communicating with the port of the emergency valve and through a vent with the receiver, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the intercepting valve, exhaust valve and intermediate cylinder D, and piston O, the said cylinder having ports controlled by said piston, substantially as described.

4:. The combination of the intercepting valve, emergency valve, and intermediate cylinder D, and piston O, constituting a dashpot for both valves, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the intercepting Valve carrying the cylinder D, With ports P, and having a head or piston N, and exhaust valve having a piston fitting the cylinder D,

the cylinder M receiving the head N, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the intercepting valve, exhaust valve, intermediate cylinder D, and piston O, and ports P and vent v in said cylinder, and a cylinder M receiving the end or head of the cylinder D and having a vent 10, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the intercepting valve having a hollow stem, ports 10, 10 and chamber K, and a reducing valve sliding Within the hollow stem having pistons 16, 17, port 19 and stem 20, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CLINTON W. RUSSELL.

Witnesses:

CHARLES E. FOSTER, G. P. KRAMER. 

